You are here

Justice News

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, February 2, 2009

Brothers Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Steal Military Optics from U.S. Marine Corps and Export Them Overseas

WASHINGTON – Timothy Oldani, 24, of Scott Depot, W.Va., and Joseph Oldani, 21, of Camp Lejeune, N.C., both pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of West Virginia to conspiring to steal military optics from the U.S. Marine Corps and illegally export them from the United States, the Justice Department announced.

At his hearing, Joseph Oldani admitted that while on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps, he stole high-grade optics from his station in Kings Bay, Ga. Timothy, Joseph’s brother, is a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps reserves. Joseph admitted he transported the stolen optics to Timothy, in Scott Depot, where Timothy subsequently sold the stolen items on the Internet – mainly on eBay.

The convictions stem from a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General -- Defense Criminal Investigative Service and by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The stolen optics are not the type available for public purchase, but are specially designed for military purposes. In fact, these stolen optics are on the U.S. Munitions List and subject to presidential control as defense articles prohibited from export without a special license. Neither Oldani had a license.

The investigation revealed that the Oldanis sold and shipped the stolen optics to purchasers in Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan.

The duo each face up to 60 months in prison and a $250,00 fine when they are sentenced on May 18, 2009. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven I. Loew is handling the prosecution in coordination with the Counterespionage Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division .